Lampard Hails Chelsea’s ‘Mentality’ After FA Cup Semi-Final Success

Lampard Hails Chelsea’s ‘Character’ After FA Cup Semi-Final Success

Channels Television  

Updated July 20, 2020

Chelsea's English head coach Frank Lampard gestures during the English FA Cup semi-final football match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London, on July 19, 2020. Andy Rain / POOL / AFP

Chelsea’s English head coach Frank Lampard gestures during the English FA Cup semi-final football match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London, on July 19, 2020. Andy Rain / POOL / AFP

 

Frank Lampard saluted Chelsea’s “character and personality” as they powered into the FA Cup final with a 3-1 win over woeful Manchester United on Sunday.

Lampard’s side were gifted their goals by an error-strewn display from United goalkeeper David De Gea, but Chelsea were deserved winners as they dominated the semi-final from start to finish.

Olivier Giroud opened the scoring late in the first half and Mason Mount got the second after the interval at Wembley.

Harry Maguire’s own goal killed off United before Bruno Fernandes’ late penalty.

After some shaky performances in recent weeks, including a 3-0 hammering at Sheffield United, Lampard was impressed with the spirited way his players out-classed in-form United at Wembley.

“I can’t ask for any more from my players than that. The work ethic and the level of performance. We were on top and when they changed their system we were even better,” Lampard told the BBC.

“Where we are at, it is going to happen that we have some bad displays like against Sheffield United. But to do that against Manchester United, I’m delighted and very proud.

“There was a lot of work done in the last two days to change the system, and you’re only as good as your players in that situation. They deserve a huge amount of credit.

“They should take confidence from that display. We have leaders, you can’t compare across eras but we have leaders in the team. It was a performance full of character and personality.”

Chelsea’s victory moved Lampard a step closer to silverware in his first season in charge of the club where he earned legendary status as a player.

Before their FA Cup final date with London rivals Arsenal on August 1, Chelsea have to focus on qualifying for the Champions League via a top four finish in the Premier League.

They sit third — one point above Leicester and United — with games against Liverpool and Wolves to finish the league season.

“We have finals ahead. Two in the league and then Arsenal,” Lampard said.

“We want to win things, and at the start of the season we wanted to be up there challenging for the top four.

“A lot of people were tipping against us, but quietly I was always hoping.

“I don’t want to put everything on these three games defining everything we’ve done and the progress we’ve made, but of course we want top four, we want trophies and we’re at the business end, so let’s see.”

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LaLiga verify season will resume June

Spain’s LaLiga will restart with the derby between Sevilla and Real Betis on Thursday, June 11 with the season set to conclude over the weekend of July 18-19.

LaLiga officially confirmed their restart date with the first game coming six days before the resumption of the Premier League in England.

All matches will be played without spectators although fixtures are yet to be officially confirmed.

League president Javier Tebas has also announced that he wants next season to begin on September 12.

‘The important thing will be when the season finishes although we’ll only be able to congratulate ourselves when we start the following season,’ Tebas told Spanish newspaper Marca.

‘God willing that day will be September 12 and hopefully we’ll be able to say we have overcome this most difficult period but at least we will be better prepared.’

Football in Spain was suspended on March 12 because of the spread of COVID-19. Champions Barcelona lead LaLIga by two points from Real Madrid with 11 rounds of the season remaining.

Spanish clubs returned to training in groups of no more than 10 last week and this was increased to groups of 14 this week.

They will next progress to full squad training in the coming days before the matches resume on June 11.

The authorities in Spain are gradually lifting lockdown restrictions in a country where nearly 30,000 people have died with COVID-19.

The government gave permission for the LaLiga season to resume after June 8.

It is the latest major European league to confirm a restart date. Germany’s Bundesliga is already back underway, while England’s Premier League will resume on June 17 and Italy’s Serie A on June 20.

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Luiz , three other defenders set to leave Arsenal

David Luiz looks set to leave Arsenal on a free transfer in the summer, reports talksports.com. The defender only signed a one-year contract when he joined from London rivals Chelsea in 2019 – not a two-year deal as was widely reported – and Sky Sports say that he’s not been offered an extension.

Mikel Arteta has praised Luiz’s influence on the team since his arrival as manager and wants him to stay. But Sky claims the 33-year-old is now heading for the exit door, as Arsenal chiefs look to cut costs amid the coronavirus pandemic and the likely lack of Champions League football.

A return to Benfica could be on the cards for Luiz, who recently told television network SporTV in his homeland: “I always said that I would like to end my career at Benfica.

“I love Benfica. My dream is to step on the pitch of Estadio da Luz in their colours.”As well as David Luiz, a number of other defenders could be on the way out of Arsenal.

According to David Ornstein – a very reliable source on all things Arsenal – the club could well put Rob Holding, Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos up for sale. Speaking on The Ornstein and Chapman Podcast, he said: “Arsenal have a vast number of central defenders and presumably they’ll need to get rid of some this summer.

“We know that some of them, including Rob Holding, Sokratis and maybe Shkodran Mustafi as well, Arsenal will listen to offers for.”

Holding took to Instagram after Ornstein’s comments where he posted a cryptic message.

Uploading a picture of him training, the England Under-21 international wrote: “Focus your energy on what you can control.”He arrived at Arsenal in the summer of 2016, as did Mustafi but things haven’t worked out for the pair. Holding was in good form last season before a cruciate ligament injury stunted his progress.

Mustafi’s time at the Emirates Stadium has been a disaster, with his faulty displays in Arsenal colours leading to him being subject to huge ridicule among fans.

Sokratis joined the Gunners from Borussia Dortmund in July 2018.

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Messi looking forward eagerly to 'weird' La Liga restart

Barcelona and Argentina captain Lionel Messi said he was eager to start playing again but thought La Liga games behind closed doors would feel “weird”.

Messi, who after a few weeks confined like the rest of Spain by the coronavirus pandemic, is training with Barca again ahead of a planned resumption of La Liga behind closed doors on the weekend on June 12.

“We cannot think about what we are leaving behind this year. It is better to think about the future,” said Messi on the website of sports brand Adidas.

“Like going back to day-to-day training, seeing your teammates, playing your first few games. No doubt it will be strange at first, but I am looking forward to competing again!

He said playing without fans “implies a series of challenges. The preparation at squad level is the same as for any other match, but it is true that individually you have to train and get mentally prepared to play without people because it is very weird.”

“It will be like starting over,” he said. “Technically it will be the same season, but I think all teams and players will experience it differently.”

Messi was due to lead Argentina this summer in the Copa America, where his country are joint hosts with Colombia, but in March, the competition was postponed to June and July next year.

“Postponing the Copa America was a huge disappointment, but of course it was reasonable and most logical,” Messi said.

“The Copa was going to be a big event for me this year and I was really looking forward to playing in it again,” he said.

“It was hard when I heard about the postponement, but I understood it perfectly,” he said

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BREAKING: BET9JA REDUCE IT MINIMUM WITHDRAWAL TO #1000

If you are a sport betting lover in Nigeria, you would have heard of the mega betting company called 'bet9ja'.

You will recall vividly that their previous minimum withdrawal in online betting was #5000, which made some of their customers to be discouraged in betting online, rather, they switched to the alternative option which is offline betting that has no privacy.

The reason why some of their customers dislike the #5000 minimum cashout is majorly because, when you place a bet and you win #3000 online for example, you have no choice than to place another bet just to try and hit the minimum withdrawal and unfortunately you ended up loosing. It will be a heartbreaking experience for any bettor.

Good news! It's now official, bet9ja has reduce it minimum cashout from #5000 to #1000.

This happened at the resuption of football after Covid19 mandatory break in most countries of the world. I believe this is a right step in the right direction for the company and a big relief for their customers. Below are the methods of payment. Online deposit (transaction, minimum/maximum deposit), bank cash deposit, ATM deposit and withdrawal on bet9ja online betting platform.

Payment Methods

Online Deposit

Method	Transaction	Min/Max Limit	Status
Interswitch	Instant	Min: 100 Max: 10,000	Good
Quickteller	Instant	Card Dependent	Good
GT Bank	Instant	Min: 100 Max: 9,999,999	Good
GT Bank USSD	Instant	Min: 100 Max: 100,000	Good
Polaris Bank	Instant	Min: 100 Max: 500,000	Good
OPAY	Instant	Min: 100 Max: 100,000	Good
NIBSS	Instant	Card Dependent	Good
Zenith	Instant	Min: 100 Max: 3,000,000	Good
Zenith USSD	Instant	Min: 100 Max: 100,000 (without a token)/1,000,000 (with token)	Good
Providus Bank	Instant	Min: 100 Max: Card Dependent	Good
UBA Instant Bills Pay	Instant	Min: 100 Max: Card Dependent	Good
UBA USSD (Magic Banking)	Instant	Min: 100 Max: 500,000	Good
Unity Bank USSD	Instant	Min: 100 Max: 20,000	Good
FirstMonie	Instant	Wallet Min: 100 Max: 50,000 Debit Card Min: 100 Max: 150,000 First Bank Account Min: 100 Max: 1,000,000	Good
Heritage USSD	Instant	Min: 100 Max: 100,000	Good

Bank Cash Deposit

Method	Transaction	Min/Max Limit	Status
Bank Deposit	Instant	Min: 100 Max: 1,000,000	Good
Stanbic IBTC	Instant	Min: 100 Max: 1,000,000	Good
Unity Bank In-branch	Instant	Min: 100 Max: 1,000,000	Good

ATM Deposit

Method	Transaction	Min/Max Limit	Status
ATM	Instant	Card Dependent	Good

Withdrawal

Method	Transaction	Min/Max Limit	Status
Withdrawal	Within 24 Banking Hours	Min: 1,000 Max: 9,999,999	Good

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PULISIC NARATES HOW FIT HE IS, HELPING OUT BACK HOME AND ALSO HIS BEST DAY IN BLUE SO FAR

According to Christian Pulisic 'The Premier League is everything I hoped it would be and more. It’s one of the most competitive leagues in the world, if not the best, and there are a lot of pressures but I’ve been enjoying the ride so much.'

Christian Pulisic is back in London and eager to get back to training as soon as the authorities decide it is safe to do so. He feels fit after taking time to recover from the muscle injury that sidelined him from New Year’s Day and has come to terms with that ‘tough and frustrating’ period, which culminated in him edging closer to a return before football was curtailed due to the global public health crisis.

After spending lockdown with his family in Pennsylvania, the American has had time to reflect on his first season in the Premier League and is clearly relishing the constant challenge of testing himself on such a global stage. It is easy to forget that he’s still only 21 years old, such is his experience in European football. ‘It’s one of the most competitive leagues in the world, if not the best, and there are a lot of pressures but I’ve been enjoying the ride so much. I’ve learnt so much in this first year and I’m looking forward to getting back to it.’

Pulisic had just navigated the famously hectic English winter period when the first significant stumbling block of his Chelsea career arrived. He came off just after the hour mark in our 1-1 draw at Brighton at the start of January, though it was a few days later in training when he sustained what Frank Lampard described at the time as ‘quite a nasty injury. The niggling issue to a tendon in his adductor, a muscle in the upper thigh or groin area, has proved troublesome to shake off and our number 22 claims it was a more serious problem than he had first anticipated.

‘I didn’t take it as seriously as I think I should have,’ he admitted. ‘It was one of those you felt you could do a lot of things but you try to push it that one extra step and realise it’s not ready yet. ‘It was very tough and frustrating going through times like that. I underestimated it and tried to get back as soon as I could because I just wanted to play so bad.

‘If anything, I’ve given myself a little more time to rest now and make sure that I’m 100 per cent fit. I’d say I’m fully recovered and ready to go as soon as we get back. That will be welcome news to Chelsea fans desperate to see him back out on the pitch continuing what has been a promising maiden season in the Premier League. Following his Turf Moor hat-trick in October, the wideman netted further goals against Watford, Crystal Palace and Valencia, as well as chipping in with half a dozen assists, taking his goal contribution ratio to roughly one every two games.

The evening in Burnley, however, understandably sticks out as his best memory in a blue shirt so far. ‘It was my first start in a little while so I just had this motivation to go out and prove a lot of people wrong,’ Pulisic recalls. 'I felt I’d done okay up to that point but I hadn’t really shown everything that I could do so going into that game, I did have a chip on my shoulder. ‘Once that first goal came, my confidence shot through the roof and it was just my day after that, everything kept falling for me. It was incredible. I’ll never forget coming home after that and just sitting down and looking back on what had just happened.

‘I was so proud being able to talk to my family back home and people that had been watching. It wasn’t just the hat-trick but scoring, helping the team win and having a great game – there’s no better feeling. Football feelings are on hold for now as global attention turns to dealing with the devastating threat of coronavirus. Like many of his Chelsea team-mates, Pulisic has been playing his part in his local community back home in the US, donating to the Feeding America relief organisation that supports over 60,000 food banks across the country.

Working alongside the food chain Chipotle, he has also helped to provide free meals to nurses working at the Hershey hospital where he was born. ‘With Feeding America, it’s amazing what they do for our country and how many people who are struggling for meals that they help,’ he said. ‘I have this amazing platform where I can help people with that. ‘It’s been awesome for me to help in any way that I can because I know so many people are putting a lot of work in right now. With Chipotle, we’ve been able to help out at my local hospital and put some smiles on their faces because they’re working so hard right now, they’re putting themselves at risk and they’re doing such an incredible job.

‘I haven’t been able to go down to the hospital in person unfortunately at this time but I’ve been able to do some things on video calls and I’m hoping after all this I’ll be able to see their smiles in person.’ After spending some time in his hometown with his family, Pulisic is back in London awaiting any decisions that are made regarding the return to training. While the capital might be operating slightly differently than normal for the time being, he is relishing life in the big city right now. ‘Coming from a smaller town and now being in London, it’s amazing for me,’ he added. ‘There’s so much to do and so much you can get out to try. It’s been great for me to take my mind off things and enjoy my time here. It’s an incredible city and the culture is awesome so I’m definitely loving it.’

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EPL given green light to scrap use of VAR

By Mod 

The English Premier League has been given the option to scrap the use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR), the UK Mirror reports.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has made temporary amendments to the laws of the game, as football plans to make a return amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

With players set to play a high number games within a short period, teams will now be allowed to make five substitutions during games, to reduce the risk of fatigue and injury.

Every league in Europe can choose to adopt these new laws or keep the current rules in place.

The IFAB has also allowed leagues to temporarily stop using VAR, even if they started with the season with the technology.

The use of VAR in the Premier League came under constant backlash before coronavirus halted the season.

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Barca return to training as La Liga eyes restart

By Mod 

This handout pictured made available by FC Barcelona shows Barcelona’s Spanish coach Quique Setien wearing a face mask as he attends a training session at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper in Sant Joan Despi on May 8, 2020 as Spain prepares to ease its tough lockdown measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 disease. – The Spanish government announced a deconfinement plan for professional footballers which initially allowed them to train separate from each other, with a maximum of six players on a field. (Photo by Miguel RUIZ / FC BARCELONA / AFP)

Barcelona returned to training on Friday after the La Liga champions allowed their stars to enter their facility to prepare for a potential restart to football in Spain.

Lionel Messi and company took the fields at Joan Gamper training centre for individual sessions, for which the players arrived alone in the kit and took to the three pitches without passing through the changing rooms.

As well as doing their routines, they were also subjected to tests to see what effect two months of coronavirus quarantine has had on their bodies.

“Finally we are getting back to normal. We hope to carry on and that soon we can get back to enjoying what we like to do most,” Arturo Vidal told sports daily Marca.

Sevilla, Villarreal, Osasuna and Leganes also returned to training, while Real Madrid — who were two points behind league leaders, Barca, when play stopped in mid-March — will likely start again on Monday should their players pass virus tests carried out on Wednesday.

That would mark almost two months since Real had been placed in quarantine following a positive test for a member of the club’s basketball team.

According to Spanish media, none of Real’s players has suffered from virus symptoms, but Zinedine Zidane will have to do without Serb attacker Luka Jovic after Real announced on Friday he had to fractured his right heel.

Footballers in Spain have restarted training following the announcement last week of a government plan that aims to end quarantine for professional players.

Individual training sessions are the first step to what La Liga hopes will be a return to action in June that will complete the 2019-20 season behind closed doors.

The first aspect of a four-phase de-escalation programme allows a maximum of six players on the pitch at any one time.

La Liga’s programme will then permit training in small groups before a return to larger team sessions.

In the fourth and final phase, in early June, the government has said outside events can go ahead when attended by fewer than 400 people.

League president Javier Tebas has said, “it is not an option” to cancel the season given the economic fallout, estimating it would cost clubs around a billion euros ($1.08 billion).

On Thursday, Leganes coach Javier Aguirre said La Liga will resume on June 20 and end on July 26, although league bosses refused to confirm his claim they had told him the dates.

“La Liga has just informed me officially and I am very happy about that because we have now scheduled the training sessions,” Aguirre told Marca Claro.

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I won’t be shocked if Aubameyang dumps Arsenal – Thierry Henry

Former Arsenal skipper, Thierry Henry, has said he will not be shocked if current captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang decides to leave Arsenal this summer.

Aubameyang, who has netted 17 times in the Premier League this season, has one year left on his current deal.

Talks over a new contract have not progressed quickly, with Real Madrid and Manchester United believed to be keeping tabs on the Gabon striker.

Arsenal’s hierarchy have made it clear they will now allow players to run down their contracts and are prepared to cash in on Aubameyang if he does not reach an agreement.

Henry is sympathetic to Aubameyang’s position and feels he needs to do what is right for his career, with Arsenal likely to miss out on Champions League football again next season.

“If you’re an Arsenal man you don’t want him to leave, but also the guy has a career and I don’t know what’s in his head or where he wants to go.

“But all I know is that we’re definitely going to miss his goals if he does leave.

“Because at the end of the day, I said it when I was at Sky, he was that kind of a “thing”. He does score goals and if you take the goals of Aubameyang away, it’s a tough one,” Henry said on Sky Sports.

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I hated football' - Ozil & Neuer's former international team-mate admits playing Bundesliga games on drugs

 

Chinedu Ede has retired from football to pursue a career in music, and has admitted to still being under the residual effects of drugs while playing

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A former international team-mate of Manuel Neuer, Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels has admitted he used to play in the Bundesliga while under the residual effects of drugs.

Chinedu Ede was a member of Germany’s victorious 2009 Under-21 European Championship squad, and played in the German top flight for Mainz and Hertha Berlin among other clubs.

Now 33, he retired from the game last year and is now pursuing a career in music.

A recently released music video called ‘Reflection ’ includes the lines ‘I hated football’, and ‘In front of 60,000 in the Bundesliga, sometimes wasted’.

Speaking with T-Online , Edu explained that his hate was directed towards the football industry, which he sees as sapping the individuality from the people in it.

"I started because it was fun,” he said.

"In this industry, and football really is an industry, they simply want adaptable robots, who keep telling the same sh*t over and over again. Everything around it, with all these officials – it disgusted me.

"99 per cent of the players who spoke openly and honestly were replaced very quickly. Everything made me feel so disgusted.

“It had nothing to do with the original sport anymore. Anybody with rough edges was chiselled down until they fit into this world.

“Sure, you got a lot of money for it, but in the end no money in the world justifies not being able to be yourself."

Asked to explain whether the aforementioned line really was about drugs, Ede confirmed: "It’s basically the way it’s understood.

"Sometimes you lose touch with reality so much and want to make it right, so it was like medicine. Then you play and you still have a residual effect from the drugs.

“But on the other hand, I also mean the fact that I was playing on painkillers all the time.

“When you had an injury, you were encouraged to start [training] again earlier than was really good for your body.”

Starting at Hertha, Berlin-born Edu also represented Duisberg, Union Berlin, Mainz and Kaiserslautern before heading overseas.

He went on to play for Cypriot side Anorthosis Famagusta, FC Twente and Bangkok United, before returning to Berlin with minnows VSG Altglienicke.

Edu represented Germany at every youth level from U-17 to U-21, but never made the step up to the senior side.

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Sergio Aguero: Manchester City striker says most players fearful of returning

"The majority of players are scared because they have family, they have children, they have babies, parents," says Aguero

Sergio Aguero says "the majority of players are scared" by the prospect of returning to football too soon amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Premier League clubs remain determined to finish the 2019/20 campaign and are due to receive 'Project Restart' proposals at a meeting on Friday about how the season could resume as early as June 8.

The government is due to review lockdown restrictions next Thursday and footballers could start training again in small groups soon after.

Agüero, 31, has been spending lockdown in his Cheshire home, but could return to training in the next couple of weeks.

"The majority of players are scared because they have family, they have children, they have babies, parents," Aguero told Spanish TV programme El Chiringuito.

Advertisement does scare me but I have just been here with my girlfriend, I haven't had contact with other people and they say that to contract the disease is very rare and difficult but they say that there are people who have it, and they don't have symptoms and they can infect you.

"That's why I've stayed at home. You can be infected and you don't know anything about it."

Manchester City's training complex at the Etihad remains closed with players fulfilling individual programmes.

Pep Guardiola and at least eight first-team players of the Premier League champions could face 14 days of mandatory self-isolation when they return to Britain for the resumption of matches.

Foreign players and managers returning to England are likely to be asked to self-isolate as part of steps to curb the spread of the virus.

Fernandinho, Gabriel Jesus, Ederson, Rodri, Bernardo Silva and David Silva are among those to have left the country during the lockdown.

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Liverpool vs Barcelona: Will We Suffer? Yes - Klopp

Jurgen Klopp has predicted that Liverpool will 'suffer' in the hands of Spanish giants, Barcelona, but they will create and get the most chances in the Champions League crunch tie on Wednesday.

“Will we be perfect? That’s not possible. Will we make mistakes? Oh, yes. Will we suffer? Oh, yes, 100%,” said the German.

“Will there be moments when we have a chance? Yes, 100%. I hope we will use them – that is what we will try to do.”

“We were in contention last year, but they have been in contention for nearly 20 years. It will be so difficult, but I couldn’t be more excited to have the opportunity.

“I hope my players feel the same.”

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Champions League Goalkeeper of the Season

Real Madrid's Keylor Navas has been voted UEFA Champions League Goalkeeper of the Season.

©UEFA.com

Keylor Navas has been named UEFA Champions League Goalkeeper of the Season for 2017/18.

The Real Madrid keeper picked up the award on stage in Monaco during the 2018/19 group stage draw. The accolade capped a memorable campaign for the 31-year-old, who played all but two games of Madrid's third straight UEFA Champions League triumph. He had started the season with wins in the UEFA Super Cup and Spanish Super Cup, and ended it between the posts with Costa Rica at the FIFA World Cup.

Goalkeeper of the Season top ten

1 Keylor Navas (Real Madrid) – 222 points

2 Alisson Becker (Liverpool/Roma) – 197 points
3 Gianluigi Buffon (Paris/Juventus) – 92 points
4 Marc-André ter Stegen (Barcelona) – 47 points
5 Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea, now Real Madrid) – 28 points
6 Ederson (Manchester City) – 26 points
7 Hugo Lloris (Tottenham) – 18 points
8 Jan Oblak (Atlético) – 16 points
9 David de Gea (Manchester United) – 7 points
10 Sven Ulreich (Bayern) – 5 points

Navas' season in numbers

Honours: UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup

Individual accolades: UEFA Champions League Goalkeeper of the Season, UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season

Navas is entering his fifth season at Madrid©AFP/Getty Images

Champions League
Appearances: 11
Minutes: 990
Clean sheets: 2
Goals conceded: 13

Navas testimonials

"Keepers stand up to be counted in big games like these. It was a difficult second leg and he gave us so much; he gave us life."
Former coach Zinédine Zidane after Madrid beat Bayern in last season's semi-finals

"He's a keeper that I love. He's won three consecutive Champions League titles, earned us lots of points and ensured we win games – but above all I'd praise him as a person."
Team-mate Dani Carvajal

How Navas was chosen

Navas lifts the trophy in Kyiv in May©AFP/Getty Images

These awards were introduced last year to recognise the season's best player in each position in Europe's premier club competition. The jury comprised the coaches of the 32 clubs in the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League group stage, together with 55 journalists selected by the European Sports Media (ESM) group, representing each of UEFA's member associations. Coaches were not allowed to vote for players from their own teams.

Jury members chose their top three players per position, with the first receiving five points, the second three and the third one. The three players who got the most points in each category made up the final shortlist. Buffon was named Goalkeeper of the Season for 2016/17.

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EPL: Manchester United vs Tottenham: Mourinho’s men thrashed 3-0

Jose Mourinho’s position as Manchester United manager, will come under more scrutiny, after they were defeated 3-0 by Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night.

United came into the game, having won 2-1 at home against Leicester City and lost 3-2 to Brighton last weekend.

Mourinho demanded a reaction from his players and in the first half, they overpowered Spurs, but failed to score.

However, after the break, the visitors took over.

Harry Kane opened the scoring with a deft header, before Lucas Moura added a fine brace.

The result takes Spurs to nine points, six more than United.

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EPL: What Unai Emery told Ramsey about his future at Arsenal

Arsenal manager, Unai Emery, has told Aaron Ramsey to forget about his contract stand-off and focus on getting back in the team.

Multiple reports claim Ramsey went to see Emery last week, after becoming concerned over whether he is in the new manager’s plans.

The Wales star was substituted early against Manchester City, then dropped against Chelsea last Saturday.

With Ramsey having one year left on his current deal, it has further cast doubt about his future at the Emirates.

“I spoke with him last week. I said, ‘I want you to focus only on training and only on the match, you show us the capacity to help the team’.

“The contract is another thing for his agent and the club, but we want – and I need – his focus only on training, on the match and his performance each day.

“I want the player to be focused only on Saturday. So that our players give our supporters quality and energy,” Emery told the media on Friday, during his press conference ahead of the West Ham match.

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Salisu out over bribe allegations

The super Eagles coach Gernort Rohr has confirm that the chief coach will not be part of the team technical crew set up against Seychelles after his bribery scandal spent g to press men after the release of the 24 man list.

Salisu Yusuf

“We have to wait for the outcome of investigation from the Ethics committee. It is not in my position to answer weather he will be back or not, it is the duty of my employers. Only the NFF can determine whether he will be in the team next match . Mine is to coach the team and not the administrative point of view.”

Rohr said Salisu was set up. “They set him up. The players they are talking about were already in the team. I know them. They set him up because I know him. He is honest

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Rohr Names Onazi, Musa, 22 Others For Seychelles

File Photo: Nigeria’s German manager Gernot Rohr. Ben STANSALL / AFP

Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr has released a list of 24 Nigerian senior players who will battle for the three points in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Seychelles in Victoria on September 7, 2018.

At a world press conference in Lagos on Friday, Rohr, flanked by the first Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr Seyi Akinwunmi and Executive Board Member, Aisha Falode, unveiled a list of three goalkeepers, eight defenders, six midfielders and seven forwards.

He also put four other players, including former U17 World Cup –winning captain Musa Muhammed, on standby.

The three goalkeepers are those who made the final cut for the FIFA World Cup finals in Russia in the summer, but the defence has two new boys. England – based Semi Ajayi and Germany – based Jamilu Collins, while Olaoluwa Aina, overlooked for the World Cup, has been recalled.

Another former U17 World Cup – winning captain, Kelechi Nwakali, is the new face in the middle, just as France – based Samuel Kalu is the new man up front.

Henry Onyekuru, who got injured before the World Cup, has also been recalled.

Team Administrator Dayo Enebi Achor told the NFF on Friday that the invited players are expected to fly directly to Seychelles, arriving on Monday, September 3, while the one player (goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa) and team officials travelling from Nigeria will fly into Victoria on Sunday, September 2.

All three points in the Matchday 2 encounter are important for the Super Eagles, having lost their opener to the qualifying campaign at home to South Africa 14 months ago.

SEE THE FULL LIST BELOW

Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Enyimba FC); Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United, South Africa)

Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Semi Ajayi (Rotherham United, England); Bryan Idowu (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Porto, Portugal); William Ekong (Udinese FC, Italy); Leon Balogun (Brighton & Hove Albion, England); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany)

Midfielders: Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor FC, Turkey); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City FC, England); John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel); Kelechi Nwakali (FC Porto, Portugal); Joel Obi (AC Chievo Verona, Italy)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Al Nassar FC, Saudi Arabia); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Simeon Nwankwo (Crotone FC, Italy); Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray SK, Turkey); Odion Ighalo (Changchun Yatai, China); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England); Samuel Kalu (Bordeaux FC, France)

Standby: Uche Agbo (Standard Liege, Belgium), Stephen Eze (Lokomotiv Plovdiv, Bulgaria); Musa Muhammed (HNK Gorica, Croatia); Blessing Eleke (FC Luzern, Switzerland)

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Transfer: Levante confirms Moses transfer

Super Eagles forward, Moses Simon, has joined Levante from KAA Gent on a five-year deal.

The 23-year-old who was previously linked with a move to Liverpool, was signed for £4.5million.

The LaLiga football club announced Moses’ deal via Twitter on Monday.

“Welcome to #LevanteUD, @Simon27Moses,” Levante tweeted.

Moses has made 20 appearances for Nigeria, since his debut against Uganda on March 25, 2015.

He was named in Gernot Rohr’s preliminary 30-man squad for the 2018 World Cup, but he did not make the final 23 due to injury.

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Transfer: Luka Modric to join Cristiano Ronaldo in Serie A

Real Madrid’s veteran midfielder, Luka Modric is set to join Cristiano Ronaldo in the Italian Serie A.

The player has entered talks with Italian giants Inter Milan over a stunning summer exit from Real Madrid.

The Croatia international has been a vital in Real Madrid’s midfield as they lifted the Champions League title in each of the past three seasons.

There have been some major changes at Real Madrid with manager Zinedine Zidane and star attacker Cristiano Ronaldo leaving the club.

And now another key figure is on the verge of an exit.

Italian newspaper, Di Marzio, reports that Modric’s agents have been contacted by Inter Milan chiefs regarding a move.

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Transfer: Barcelona, Inter Milan speak on Messi joining Ronaldo in Serie A

Barcelona spokesman, Josep Vives, has spoken on Lionel Messi’s reported move from the club.

Vives said he cannot imagine Messi leaving the Camp Nou after Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid to join Juventus earlier this month.

Ronaldo had a release clause worth €1 billion in his contract, but Real Madrid allowed him to sign for Juventus for significantly less amount after he asked to leave.

Messi signed a new deal with Barca in November, with a release clause worth €700m, that ties him to the club through to the 2020-21 season.

“I cannot imagine that situation in which Messi is not with us,” ESPN quoted Vives as saying.

“I am already getting nervous because there have been many days without football [games]. We do not imagine this situation here.”

Earlier in the week, one of Inter Milan’s main sponsors, Marco Tronchetti Provera, the CEO of Pirelli, had suggested that the club’s owners would consider a move for Messi in response to Ronaldo’s arrival to Serie A.

But Inter vice president, Javier Zanetti laughed off that suggestion while speaking to Fox Sports Argentina.

“It’s crazy,” Zanetti said, adding that, “It’s devoid of any truth that we’re going to ask for Messi.”

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